Architecture
/ˈɑːr.kɪˌtɛk.tʃɚ/noun
The art and practice of designing and constructing buildings.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek archi- (“chief”) + tekton (“builder, carpenter”), so its oldest meaning is less “design” and more “master craftsman with authority.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*teks-
“to weave, fabricate, make”
Ancient Greek
Greek
arkhi- + téktōn
“chief + builder/carpenter”
Late Latin
Latin
architectura
“the art of building; architectural design”
Old French
Old French
architecture
“architecture; the art of building”
Middle English
English
architecture
“the art or science of building; the style of buildings”
Modern English
English
architecture
“the design and construction of buildings, or the structure of a system”
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